Save A Dog
Save A Dog is a Massachusetts-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that rescues abandoned dogs of all breeds from regional shelters and rural partners, rehoming them through a Sudbury-based shelter, foster network, and application-driven adoption program, funded by donations, events, and merchandise.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersSudbury, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Save A Dog does
Save A Dog, Inc. is a Massachusetts-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit humane society incorporated in 1999 and headquartered in a single physical shelter at 604 Boston Post Road, Sudbury, MA. The organization rescues abandoned dogs of all breeds from animal shelters in Massachusetts and out-of-state, as well as from rural-area rescue organizations operating in regions with pet overpopulation and euthanasia risk. Rescued dogs receive veterinary care and are placed in foster homes until matched with adopters via an application, home-check, and meet-and-greet process, with adherence to an adoption contract prohibiting return to shelter. The organization also runs ancillary programs including puppy kindergarten (mandatory obedience training for adopters), a pet sponsorship program, holistic dog care education, the Meals-on-Wheels for Pets food assistance program for financially struggling owners, the Pathways for Paws legacy brick walkway, and an annual Paws in the Park dog walk and fundraising event.
The business model is donation-led. Funding is sourced from direct donations, adoption fees (stated as not covering full operating costs), fundraising events (Paws in the Park, Pet Rock), merchandise (Rescued Dogs 2026 Calendar at $20; legacy bricks at $150/$300), and affiliate shopping programs (iGive, Kuranda beds, PoundsForPaws, DogsAsArt, SiriusCouture). Go-to-market is community-led: an all-volunteer workforce (~1-10 disclosed) supported by a foster home network, a Sudbury shelter store, and active social media (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram) plus Constant Contact email newsletters. Strategic partnerships span corporate event sponsors (Northern Bank, Pure Solutions, The Posh Pup, Tail Waggerz, West Concord Animal Clinic), peer rescue organizations (Baypath Humane, B.O.N.E.S., Buddy Dog, PittieLove, Poodle Rescue of New England, Merrimack River Feline Rescue), and the rural sourcing rescue network.
No proprietary technology stack, app, public API, AI/ML capability, patent, or regulatory license is disclosed. Leadership consists of co-founders Shirley Moore (President) and Dave Bernier. Operating geographies are concentrated in Massachusetts and the broader New England region for adoptions, with the Southeastern US representing the inbound sourcing market. To date, the organization has rescued and rehomed over 8,000 dogs.
Save A Dog firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Save A Dog
- Legal name
- Save A Dog, Inc.
- Website
- https://saveadog.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Save A Dog is a Massachusetts-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that rescues abandoned dogs of all breeds from regional shelters and rural partners, rehoming them through a Sudbury-based shelter, foster network, and application-driven adoption program, funded by donations, events, and merchandise.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Save A Dog industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Animal Rescue and Adoption Services
- NAICS
- Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Community Food Services (624210)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Animal Shelters & Adoption Services (BPAGAIAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Foster & Volunteer Network Programs (BPAGAIAF), Animal Shelters & Rescue Operations (AFAEALAB), Education & Community Outreach (Responsible Pet Ownership) (BPAGAIAK), Animal Welfare & Advocacy Organizations (AFAEALAC)
Keywords
Where Save A Dog is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sudbury
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Save A Dog business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Donations: Privately funded via donations from supporters
- Adoption Fees: Adoption fees charged to adopters, though noted as not covering full operating expenses
- Fundraising Events: Several fundraisers per year including Paws in the Park dog walk, Pet Rock event, and merchandise sales such as calendars
- Affiliate Shopping Programs: Percentage of purchases from affiliate partners (iGive, Kuranda beds, PoundsForPaws, DogsAsArt, SiriusCouture) donated to the organization
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Adoption fee for rescued dogs |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Rescued Dogs 2026 Calendar |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Pathways for Paws Legacy Bricks |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Save A Dog product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Save A Dog, Inc. is a Massachusetts-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit humane society that rescues abandoned dogs from shelters in Massachusetts and rural areas of the United States, provides veterinary and foster care, and rehomes them through an application, home check, and meet-and-greet adoption process. The organization supplements adoption services with community programs including a Meals-on-Wheels-for-Pets food assistance program, puppy kindergarten obedience classes, pet sponsorship, the Pathways for Paws legacy brick walkway, and holistic dog care education.
Product overview
Save A Dog, Inc. is a Massachusetts-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit humane society that operates as a single-service animal rescue organization focused on abandoned dogs. The organization offers dog rescue and adoption as its core service, supplemented by community programs including the Paws in the Park annual fundraiser, volunteer recruitment and management, pet sponsorship, the Meals-on-Wheels for Pets assistance program, Pathways for Paws legacy brick walkway, puppy kindergarten classes, and holistic dog care education. Funding comes primarily through donations, adoption fees, merchandise sales (such as the Rescued Dogs 2026 Calendar), and an affiliate shopping program. The organization operates a shelter store in Sudbury, MA, and facilitates adoption applications through its website.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Dog Rescue and Adoption Services
- Meals-on-Wheels for Pets
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 8,000 dogs rescued and adopted since 1999
Companies that use Save A Dog
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Save A Dog technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Save A Dog partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Animal Shelters in MA and Out of StatecorePartnerships with animal shelters in Massachusetts and other states to receive dogs in need of rescue.
- Rescue Organizations in Rural AreascoreWorks with several rescue organizations in rural parts of the country where there is pet overpopulation and pets are at risk of euthanasia due to lack of resources.
- Northern BankminorSponsor for Paws in the Park 2026 event
- Pure SolutionsminorSponsor for Paws in the Park 2026 event
- The Posh PupminorSponsor/vendor for Paws in the Park 2026 event
- Tail Waggerz Pet Care Inc.minorSponsor/vendor for Paws in the Park 2026 event
- West Concord Animal ClinicminorSponsor/vendor for Paws in the Park 2026 event
- iGiveminorSave A Dog receives 4% of purchases made through iGive.com
- Kuranda Dog BedsminorDonation program where customers can donate beds to Save A Dog
- PoundsForPaws.comminor30% of purchases directed to Save A Dog when selected as the beneficiary shelter
- Baypath Humane SocietyminorParticipating rescue organization at Paws in the Park 2026 event
- Beagles of New England States (B.O.N.E.S.)minorParticipating rescue organization at Paws in the Park 2026 event
- Buddy Dog Humane SocietyminorParticipating rescue organization at Paws in the Park 2026 event
- Merrimack River Feline Rescue SocietyminorParticipating rescue organization at Paws in the Park 2026 event
- PittieLove Rescue Inc.minorParticipating rescue organization at Paws in the Park 2026 event
- Poodle Rescue of New EnglandminorParticipating rescue organization at Paws in the Park 2026 event
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Save A Dog competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Northeast Animal Shelter: Nonprofit no-kill shelter in Salem, MA focused on dog and cat adoptions with a transport partnership model pulling dogs from high-euthanasia regions. Highly comparable rescue-and-rehome operating model in the same New England geography.
- Buddy Dog Humane Society: Massachusetts-based dog rescue with a similar volunteer-driven foster and adoption model. Co-participating organization at the Save A Dog-hosted Paws in the Park event, indicating overlap in operational geography and supporter base.
- Poodle Rescue of New England: Breed-specific poodle rescue participating at Save A Dog's Paws in the Park 2026 event. Foster-based volunteer rescue and adoption model that closely mirrors Save A Dog's operating approach in the same region.
- Baypath Humane Society: Massachusetts-based dog and cat rescue participating alongside Save A Dog at the Paws in the Park 2026 event. Similar-sized community-supported nonprofit operating adoptions, fostering, and fundraising events in the same regional market.
- Beagles of New England States (B.O.N.E.S.): Breed-specific beagle rescue participating alongside Save A Dog at Paws in the Park 2026. Operates with a comparable volunteer/foster-based rescue and adoption model in the same New England region.
- PittieLove Rescue Inc. Massachusetts-based breed-specific (pit bull) rescue participating at Save A Dog's Paws in the Park 2026 event. Operates a foster-based rescue and adoption model very similar to Save A Dog's.
Broad incumbents
- ASPCA: National animal welfare organization operating adoption, veterinary, and rescue programs across the US. While dramatically larger, it represents the incumbent national counterpart Save A Dog local adopters and donors often interact with directly.
- Animal Rescue League of Boston: Established Boston-area animal welfare nonprofit providing adoption, veterinary, and cruelty investigation services. Operates at significantly larger scale than Save A Dog but competes for the same adopter and donor pool in Greater Boston/MetroWest.
- MSPCA-Angell: Large regional humane society serving Massachusetts and New England with adoption, veterinary, and cruelty investigation services. Operates at much greater scale than Save A Dog but in the same animal welfare/adoption space within the same geography.
Emerging players
- Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society: New England cat-focused rescue participating in Save A Dog's Paws in the Park 2026 event. Similar nonprofit, volunteer-driven shelter/rescue model but focused exclusively on cats rather than dogs.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Save A Dog social profiles
Digital presenceSave A Dog financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Save A Dog leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Save A Dog funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Save A Dog M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Save A Dog
What does Save A Dog do?
Save A Dog, Inc. is a Massachusetts-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit humane society that rescues abandoned dogs from shelters in Massachusetts and rural areas of the United States, provides veterinary and foster care, and rehomes them through an application, home check, and meet-and-greet adoption process. The organization supplements adoption services with community programs including a Meals-on-Wheels-for-Pets food assistance program, puppy kindergarten obedience classes, pet sponsorship, the Pathways for Paws legacy brick walkway, and holistic dog care education.
Is Save A Dog a public or private company?
Save A Dog is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Save A Dog founded?
Save A Dog was founded in 1999. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Save A Dog based?
Save A Dog is headquartered in Sudbury, United States, in the North America region.
How does Save A Dog make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations are the primary driver. The others are adoption Fees, fundraising Events and affiliate Shopping Programs.
Who are Save A Dog's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Northeast Animal Shelter, Buddy Dog Humane Society, Poodle Rescue of New England, Baypath Humane Society, Beagles of New England States (B.O.N.E.S.) and PittieLove Rescue Inc.. Broad incumbents are ASPCA, Animal Rescue League of Boston and MSPCA-Angell. Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society is listed as an emerging player.
Does Save A Dog have an API?
No public API is recorded for Save A Dog.
What industry is Save A Dog in?
Save A Dog's product category is Animal Rescue and Adoption Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAIAA, Animal Shelters & Adoption Services, with a secondary code of BPAGAIAF, Foster & Volunteer Network Programs. Its NAICS code is 8133 and its SIC code is 8300.